Jeremy Clarkson was yesterday forced to ­apologise for his TV rant about killing strikers.

The Top Gear host had refused to say sorry for his crass remarks. But furious BBC bosses threatened ­disciplinary action and he made a humiliating U-turn hours later.

Clarkson, a friend of David Cameron, said: “If the BBC and I have caused any offence, I’m quite happy to apologise for it alongside them.”

Clarkson had angered millions of striking public sector workers when he said on The One Show they should “be executed in front of their ­families”.

When approached by the Mirror at 2.08pm yesterday, he insisted he wouldn’t apologise.

The bullish 51-year-old said: “What I was actually doing, was presenting two different opinions for the BBC’s impartiality.

“I support the strikers in the first part. I said it was like being in the 70s, my favourite decade.

“Then I said, but this is the BBC so we have to be impartial, and I expressed an extreme version of the other side of the coin, neither of which I believe.

"I expressed two different views. Which one do I apologise for?

"I am just making fun of the BBC’s need to be impartial. Not about strikers. I wasn’t saying that strikers should be shot.”

But BBC Director General Mark Thompson later ordered Clarkson to say sorry as thousands of complaints poured in. Insiders claim it was made clear his Beeb career could be on the line.

At 4.35pm he issued his carefully-worded apology.

He said: “I didn’t for a moment intend these remarks to be taken seriously.”

The BBC added: “The One Show is a live programme which often reflects the day’s talking points. Usually we get it right, but on this occasion we feel the item wasn’t perfectly judged. The BBC and Jeremy would like to apologise for any offence caused.”

A BBC insider said: “After the delay in apologising over the Sachsgate involving Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand we were not going to make the same mistake twice. Clarkson was told he had to apologise or face possible action.

“He wasn’t happy, but eventually he agreed as long as he worded it minutes before he boarded a flight to China. The fact the word ‘sorry’ was missing speaks volumes.”